


Drowning in You

by Createdforyou



Category: WTFock | Skam (Belgium)
Genre: Angst?, Flirting, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Background Characters - Freeform, hidden identity, siren!sander, slowburn kind of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:14:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26551207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Createdforyou/pseuds/Createdforyou
Summary: Robbe had gone through his life studying and stressing until he decides to take a vacation with his friends to Greece. He didn't expect to find anything there, much less an alluring siren and a hot waiter at the Siren's Tavern, a new restaurant that had just opened up by the pier. But as he gets to know both of these identities, he starts to find they have a lot more in common than he thought.
Relationships: Sander Driesen/Robbe IJzermans
Comments: 15
Kudos: 57





	Drowning in You

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I dont know anything about Greece or beaches bc I've never been to either so I'm really sorry for this fic haha.  
> I was inspired by @alinok's siren!sander gifset on tumblr  
> I went a bit out of my comfort zone for this one but I hope you enjoy!

_Robbe wasn’t sure what was he was hoping to find out here on the edge of Crete with blue skies and even bluer oceans._

Maybe it was relief from the stress of his classes in uni and final exams, just a get-away vacation with his friends for the summer, or maybe it was freedom from an unclear, abstract form of melancholy that clenched in the depths of his chest. And as he sat at the campfire on the beach, surrounded by all his friends, he was beginning to find that freedom more and more. A separation from all his worries and troubles back home. Then finally, a surrealism had set in and he sort of couldn’t believe he was actually here, in Greece. 

Burning reds and oranges had coloured the sky and soon the whisper of night approached. Laughter floated in the air as cheap drinks and refreshing juices were shared around the fire. The day heat had forced everyone into their summer-wear, but now they wore blankets and hoodies along with their shorts. The glowing ember lit their faces, the amusement settling down, fading into a comfortable silence. 

“Do you guys wanna hear a story?” Jens stared around the fire. 

“Depends. Is it a good one?” Jana teased, smiling from the other side of the campfire where Amber and Luca sat beside her. Snickers erupted. 

“Ha ha,” he scrunched up his nose mockingly. “It’s not really a story. At least that’s what the locals say, that all of it is true,” he said lifting up his can of beer to take a sip. The others followed suit, Moyo and Aaron beside Robbe chugging theirs and Noor and Senne taking sips of theirs. Zoë and Yasmina drank freshly squeezed orange juice while Luca held an entire bottle of alcohol to herself. Amber took a shy sip of hers. Not much could be said of the drinks of Crete except that they were very refreshing in the summer heat. Even in the night. 

Robbe slowly sipped his, trying to bask in the warmth of their friendship. They had planned this trip for a while, arguing and fussing over the best destinations to visit in the summer until Senne suggested they rent a villa in Greece for two months. He had said he knew a guy and that made affording it all the more easier. In fact, it was a miracle they all made it here, even Robbe’s ex, Noor, and even Yasmina who might have taken summer classes instead. 

“Well,” Zoë said, raising her glass and leaning back into Senne’s embrace. “Go on, then.”

“Okay,” Jens started. “The locals say that this time of year is real nice in Crete. Great food, great drinks, great beaches. But sometimes, in the dead of night, you can hear voices calling you out into the ocean. If you happen to be on a late-night walk along these shores, you’ll hear singing so beautiful you lose your mind, “ he pointed to the shoreline behind Robbe. “And if you’re not careful, you end up following it into the ocean to drown.”

Robbe shook his head along with the others who looked quite skeptical. “Bullshit,” he smiled fondly, playing with the chain on his neck. 

“No, seriously. They’re called sirens. They’re supposed to be like mermaids or something, but really they’re scary-looking fish creatures,” Jens countered. 

“ _You’re_ a scary-looking fish creature,” Moyo smirked, lifting his hand to cover Jens’ face in an irritating manner. “Besides, if any one of you drown, I’ll come save you,” he said proudly. 

“You? Save us?” Luca snorted. “If I was drowning and you were there, I’d probably let myself sink,” she laughed. Everyone else did too as Moyo sent her a glare with a shake of his head and a flick of his arm. 

“Don’t worry, if I hear any ‘singing in the dead of night’ I’ll let you all know,” Noor said, raising her eyebrows and smiling into her drink. 

Robbe’s chest lightened in the airy laughter of all his friends, a brief and fleeting moment. He loved his friends, he truly did, but something about coming here, leaving his mama back, and that unnerving feeling of not being able to relax, even though his semester was finished, made it hard to enjoy his time. Maybe he’d been too used to studying hard and worrying about his future, and he hadn’t really thought about actually taking a break. Not one as big as this, anyway. But as he started to help the others who were packing up, he couldn’t help thinking that maybe this was what he needed. _Blue skies and bluer oceans_. 

He glanced back at the shoreline, waves rolling in and out and he thought of Jens’ story. Most had heard of mermaids and sirens singing you to sleep at the bottom of the ocean, but for that to be true, there wouldn’t be people roaming around these parts of the beach. Maybe they didn’t care, maybe they were all taking risks. For what, Robbe couldn’t be sure, but he was about to find out as he lay in his bed that night, hearing the soft, faint and unmistakable sound of singing. -

He tossed and turned in bed trying to ignore it. _It’s not real,_ he kept thinking. _You’re dreaming_. The more he thought about sleep, the louder the sound seemed to get, until he finally put his head under the pillow. And just when he thought it had stopped, the singing started once again. Unable to keep this on much longer, he threw the covers aside, put on a blue shirt and made his way out into the cool night. It wasn’t that the singing was horrid, in fact it was quite the opposite. It was that if Robbe let himself venture out into the night and he found that it wasn’t his friends playing pranks on him, he might not make it back.

Trying not to think of that, he made his way to the beach, where the singing got louder and louder. It was such a delicate voice with crisp and clear intonation, a feathered touch in the night sky that was enough to make you almost shed to tears. And as he got closer and closer, making his way towards a cove, the sound felt breathtakingly welcoming. Breathtakingly _hypnotizing_. 

He tried not to slip under the sharp rocks that cascaded into the cove. While the voice was practically carrying his feet along, he liked to think he had enough strength left for a bit of freewill. He found a piece of driftwood with sharp edges lying around and quickly tucked it under his arms. He didn’t know what good that would do, but he felt safer with the pseudo protection. Once he made it inside, the singing had abruptly stopped. He looked down to find a pool of glistening, dark blue water, the moonlight from the other side reflecting in the ripples. 

Suddenly, he heard movement and lifted his driftwood on instinct. 

“Who’s there?” Robbe asked. After a moment, he heard a small laugh.

“You’re awfully brave,” a voice stated from behind the rocks. As a figure started to move in the waters, Robbe flinched, pointing the sharp edges of wood toward it. 

“Oh, dangerous,” the voice teased. “I like danger.” 

Though the voice was low and deep, it seemed like there was a glimmer every time he spoke. And for some reason, the first thing Robbe thought was that if a voice could be a colour, this one would drip silver, a certain softness laced with enticing poison. 

“What is it you want?” Robbe swallowed nervously. He still couldn’t see the figure’s face hidden in the shadows, but he could see his hair shining white in the moonlight, sharp contrasting highlights falling onto his cheekbones. 

“What _I_ want? I don’t want anything,” he replied casually, swimming slowly in circles. He gained closer to the edge, crossing his arms and laying them there, his chin resting on his wrists. His sharp teeth gleamed. “The question is what _you_ want. What is it you desire, Robbe Ijzermans?” he asked. 

Robbe let out a slight gasp at the sound of his name. He’d heard of sirens luring you in, not only with their singing but with the promise of your deepest desires, of all your dreams and wishes. But at this exact moment, for the life of him, he could not find an answer to that question. For all he knew, the siren could still be human and not just a creature coaxing out vulnerabilities to use against people. But a glimpse at the scales on his arms and the tail peeking out from under the water told him he wasn’t. He still couldn’t make out the features on his face and just when he was about to say something, there was a shout in the distance. The creature recoiled and quickly disappeared away into the blue water, his turquoise tail following behind him. 

And just like that, with the wind blowing through Robbe’s dark curls, he was left to stand frozen in place wondering if he’d imagined it all. -

The next morning brought clear skies and a fresh breeze upon the coast. Against everyone’s wishes to sleep in, Amber had awoken each member of the villa and suggested they get breakfast at the new restaurant that had just opened by the pier. Robbe had groaned in irritation since he didn’t get enough sleep, but his internal clock had woken him up anyway. 

The Siren’s Tavern was a small but lively place, filled with customers even in the morning. The dark, chestnut wooden tables were freshly made and the back mantle held a fishnet on the wall where a figurine of a mermaid with long flowing hair had been placed upon it. An employee scrubbed the counter of the bar where more net decor hung above it. Though all his friends sat at a table for eleven and laughed about the coincidence of the restaurant name, Robbe felt a bit as if it were mocking him cruelly after the events of last night. He had been so engrossed in his menu thinking about the cove and the silvery creature he’d met, he didn’t realize the waiter saunter up to their table. 

“I’m Sander and I’ll be your server this morning. What can I get you all?” he asked with a casual smile on his face and a notepad in his hands. Robbe looked up to see a gorgeous figure standing before him. He wore a white button-up t-shirt and a black apron draped around his waist. His eyes instantly covered the flawlessly tanned skin that gleamed in the morning light, the impeccable jawline that softened when he looked down to write the other’s orders, and the tousled head of bleached blond hair that looked like it’d been disheveled in the wind. He finally landed on his bright, green eyes, sparkling with intent. Then he realized those eyes had been staring intensely back at him. Right, his order. 

“Uh, I’ll have whatever he’s having,” Robbe pointed absentmindedly to Aaron on his left. He felt quite flustered and his mind was not functioning in the slightest at this moment. He knew he’d regret the order later knowing Aaron’s strange appetite, but he really couldn’t bring himself to care as Sander winked at him with a smile and slid back behind the counter into the kitchen.

While his friends all conversed and roared in laughter, Robbe often found himself sneaking glances at Sander. He watched the way he smiled at all the other customers, the way he nodded politely, the way he glided between tables with the trays of food in his hands. He held an enigmatic energy that he couldn't place, something magical in his movements. Sometimes he would get caught, a sea of green eyes crashing and burning into his soft brown ones, but Sander always held his gaze for a moment longer than needed, as if he wanted him to look. As if he wanted to look back. 

By the time Robbe and his friends finished their breakfast, it was already past noon. Moyo and Jens had started a heated discussion about the worst places to get pickpocketed and the girls had gone on and on about souvenirs to buy. Senne had been on his phone for most of the time searching for more tourist attractions, only looking up to give Zoë kisses on her cheek. He finally left to pay at the register and almost everyone started to trail out the door.

Not wanting to keep them waiting, Robbe wiped his mouth with a napkin and got up. But his move was in haste and he hadn’t noticed Sander trying to get past him with a tray of drinks until he collided right up against his chest. The drinks spilled all over his white uniform and Robbe was left in bewilderment, trying to apologize. Just as the words “Shit, sorry” had left his mouth, he heard Sander tease,

“Oh, dangerous.” 

Robbe’s heart jumped for a moment as he froze in panic, thinking that the phrase sounded very familiar. “What?” his eyes lifted in alarm.

“What?” Sander blinked in confusion. His hands that were trying to dry his shirt with a napkin had also stopped. 

Thinking he must have heard him wrong, Robbe’s shoulders relaxed. “Nothing. I -I’m really sorry about your shirt,” he stuttered the half-hearted apology. He saw Sander’s eyes soften.

“That’s fine, I’ve got a spare in the back,” he said. 

“No, really. Let me make it up to you,” Robbe insisted. And Sander’s eyes now shifted all over his face as he looked at him hesitantly, then let out a reluctant noise. The corner of his lips formed the slightest curve. 

“My break starts in fifteen.” He lifted the tray again and disappeared into the back. -

Robbe shuffled his feet as he leaned back against the pier, waiting for Sander to finish. His friends were long gone without him, but they’d given him an invitation that he’d politely declined. Jens had squinted his eyes at him sensing his reasons to which Robbe had his rolled eyes. Soon, he saw Sander casually stroll up to him in his new shirt. Now that he was out of his customer service setting, he seemed a bit daunting somehow, intimidatingly cool as he turned his head for a second, squinting at the sun. 

“Okay,” he said, his lips forming that same curve. “I’m ready to be reconciled with, ah....” 

“Robbe.”

“Robbe,” he repeated his name.

His eyes were sparkling again and Robbe couldn’t help but to get lost in them. Realizing he didn’t actually have a way to make it up to him since he didn’t know the city, he suggested, “Let’s go for a walk.”

“A walk? And here I was thinking you might buy me a drink instead.”

“In the middle of your shift?” 

“That’s true I guess,” he laughed a breezy laugh. Everything Sander did seemed breezy, the way he walked, the way he talked. His voice was like wind chimes, musical in essence, and Robbe had to stop himself from comparing it to the one he heard last night.

They fell into comfortable conversation as they walked through the pier, the seaside wind carrying their hair every which-way. Questions and answers were thrown back and forth and it was easy to talk to Sander, Robbe found. But there was a nervousness settling into the pit of his guts. The kind that carried the intimidating flurry of sensations when you first talk to someone new. 

“How long have you and your friends been here?” Sander asked.

“It’s been a few days but we’re just here for the summer. They’re excited to walk around and enjoy the city,” Robbe answered. 

“And you?”

“I miss home, but,” he paused to look at him. “I think I’m starting to like it here.” He could see Sander waver under his glance. “I also don’t know if you’ve been told, but your Flemish is really good,” he changed the subject.

“I’m actually from Antwerp, too. I’m just here to help my uncle with his restaurant. Which reminds me, I should be getting back,” Sander took out his phone from the pocket of his shorts to check the time. “Feel free to spill more drinks on me though,” he winked at him as he slightly jogged off the pier, leaving Robbe to blush in silence. 

And though Robbe didn’t spill any more drinks on him, didn’t even make his way back to the tavern, he sometimes still stood by the pier the next few days, secretly wishing for Sander to show up. But he hadn’t. Instead, Robbe was met with more singing in the middle of the night. He didn’t know what he was doing back here at the cove, but the voice had carried his feet once again. He didn’t know if that would stop either. If this would be the last time. 

“You’re back,” the creature said, swimming slowly in the glistening moonlight. “I was starting to think you’d forgotten about me.” His face was still hidden in the shadows and Robbe wondered if he’d ever get a chance to see it.

“Funny, I was hoping I could say the same,” he said. There was no mirth to his sentence, though. 

“Oh, come now Robin, I’m sure I’m not as bad as they say,” a shimmering chuckle emerged. Robbe shivered at the nickname. “Come sit, I won’t pull you in” the siren patted the edge between the ground and water. Everything inside Robbe was telling him not to listen, to not be swayed by how inviting his low, double-edged voice sounded. But this was a siren after all and he was learning that no matter how much he tried to resist, no matter what he did, this silvery voice would always entrap him. 

So, he slowly bent down and crossed his splayed-out legs, sitting near the edge. His pants were rolled above his ankles and he let himself feel the dirt against his skin. He sat there in peace for a while, feeling surreal again. The creature had disappeared under the water leaving a strange silence washing over the cove. Then suddenly, strong fingers grabbed his legs and Robbe startled as he tried to kick them free. The hands let go and he heard laughter over his loudly beating heart.

“Asshole!” he hissed trying to catch his breath. “Are you really trying to drown me?” 

The siren just splashed water at him to try to cool him down and ran his fingers through his white hair. He made his way over to the rock cemented in the water and rested his chin on his arm. It seemed like he was looking at Robbe, a slight sigh escaping his lips. 

“I wouldn’t drown you, nor will I entice you with my singing anymore. You should bring me seashells, though.” he said looking down. 

“And why would I do that?” Robbe asked, still huffing from the fright. 

“Because I get lonely at this time of night. And I’ve never had a visitor before. But I want you to know that you have a choice. That if you ever decide to come back here, it’s because you want to. Not because I made you. You can just leave the seashells and I’ll know you’ve been here.” 

There was a sincerity to his voice, one that Robbe hadn’t heard before. It wasn’t woven with the poisonous and dangerous, almost lethal touch it had the first time. It was now diluted with honesty and genuineness. It left Robbe contemplating.

“You’re really letting me go?” he asked. “No tricks this time?”

He saw the siren nod earnestly in the dark.

“I’ll think about it,” he finally said, rubbing his arm in the cold night and getting up to leave the cove. -

Before light could even touch the horizon and anyone else could awaken, Robbe had made his way onto the beach. His green hoodie flew in the crisp wind as his hair carried over his eyes. With each step in the sand, he felt his toes dig in, the grains prickling his skin. The waves rolling in blew mist in his face. He squinted his eyes looking for something. There were seashells laying in all sorts of colours and shapes, scattered along the shoreline and he followed it picking up the ones he found interesting. Ones with smooth edges, ones with ridges, ones with blues, ones with reds, he collected them all. 

It had been another few days and he still hadn’t decided if he was ever going back to the cove. Maybe it was a risk he didn’t want to take. But he found himself looking out into the ocean wistfully. He wasn't brought into the crashing waves like the story goes. He wasn’t following desires of the heart into a tragic death. And he thought if he survived the first couple times, maybe it wouldn’t hurt. _A voice so beautiful you lose your mind_. Maybe he’d lost his for wanting to go back. Shaking his head, he kept walking along the shore. 

Daylight had reached its peak by now, and Robbe found himself making his way towards the pier at half past noon. He leaned his arms against the white rails crossing his legs and feeling the sand irritate his feet in his sandals. The sun made his hair glow yellow as he ran a hand through it. He couldn’t be bothered to give attention to the vibrations of his phone right now, messages from his friends wondering where he was. Sighing deeply, he held some of the shells in his hand, the others stashed away in his pocket, and he absentmindedly ran his fingers over them, thinking, deciding. 

Just then he heard distant laughter fading into his ears. He turned slightly to see Sander by the pier, throwing his head back and laughing at something his friends said. He was wearing black today, holding some sort of folder in his arm, and his hair was flawlessly falling into his eyes every now and then. When Sander glanced his way over at him, Robbe swallowed and quickly turned away before he could catch his eyes. He chose to focus on his seashells instead. It wasn’t long before he heard a voice behind him.

“Those are pretty,” Sander breathed against his neck. When Robbe turned to look at him, he saw him giving the slightest smirk. His lips etched up as well as he casually put them back in his pocket.

“They’re not for you,” he chuckled. 

“Why would they be for me?” a slight panic flashed in Sander’s eyes as he composed himself. It was gone just as soon as it came, but it left Robbe flustered. 

“Well, no I was just- it’s just a joke,” he said. Sander looked at him for a long moment while Robbe’s heart beat infinitely faster. 

“Right,” he murmured as he looked out into the ocean. Robbe turned back to lean against the pier again and he kept his eyes on the ocean, too. He’d shed his hoodie from the morning and worn a t-shirt, so when Sander joined him on the railing, brushing his arm against him, his skin was enough to make him stop breathing for a second. “The sea’s really beautiful today. It makes me want to paint it,” he continued, smiling and returning back to his playful self. He then turned to stare at Robbe, eyes shifting up and down. 

“Is that what the portfolio is for? All your art?” he pointed to it. 

Sander nodded. “You wanna see?” he asked. And when Robbe looked into his half-lidded eyes staring down at him, he could see such a passionate gleam in them that it was hard to say no. 

He took him to the back of the Siren’s Tavern where they walked up the stairs to a storage room. It was a small, cramped space, but Robbe could see that Sander had made it his own with jars of paintbrushes and paint on the desk. Dry splotches coloured the area and the dusty air made his nose itch. There were papers scattered, lying around the chair and floor and posters on the wall. He could imagine him coming here during his breaks or chipping away at a painting in the middle of the night, secluded in a dimly lit bubble.

Sander set his portfolio down and unzipped it. He took out the pieces to show him, fingers gliding across the paper and the cool metal of his ring brushing against Robbe’s as he took them. Robbe stared at them all in awe. He looked at the sketches of people by the pier and washes of the sea in watercolour. 

“These are amazing,” he whispered. Sander shrugged, unimpressed. 

“They’re alright.”

“Alright? Shit, Sander, these are the most beautiful paintings I’ve ever seen,” Robbe’s eyes widened as he laughed incredulously. 

“If you say so. Glad I’m not going to art school for nothing then,” he smiled shyly. Robbe hadn’t seen him like _this_ before. 

“Back in Antwerp?” he asked. Sander nodded. “I’ll have to come sometime, if you’re close by.”

“Please do, I’ll show you better ones,” he said, trying to slip by him in the confined space, grazing his hand over Robbe’s back. The constant contact was driving him crazy. 

“I usually stick to sketching, but I do some photography, too. I kinda miss my studio back home. It had more space, but you know, the one in my uncle’s restaurant is fine, too,” Sander smiled through the joking tone. “At least I can take a break here and escape the shit that goes on inside of my head.”

Robbe watched him intently now. He saw his eyes glaze over and he could’ve sworn that in that instant they changed colour. He moved closer to him so they were standing shoulder to shoulder, half sitting-half leaning against the desk. 

“Things get bad in my head, too,” he said. “You have somewhere to let it out. I think that’s the important part.” 

Their hands were close enough to touch again. Sander looked at Robbe and captured a curl of his brown hair in his fingers. His eyes roamed his face and his lips curved up. 

“I could paint you like this. Soft hair and rosy cheeks.” 

Their stares lingered for a second. 

“Shut up, I don’t have rosy cheeks,” Robbe swatted his hand lightly. But the red blush forming underneath his skin betrayed his words. He got up to hide his embarrassment and went to the shelf nearby, looking at the camera that lay there. He picked it up and raised his eyebrows toward Sander to ask permission to look at it. When he nodded yes, he lifted it to his face to snap a picture of Sander, who obliged for the first few shots, then got up to grab the camera back from him. They both erupted into a laughing fit. As it faded, Sander stared at Robbe while he slowly reached up to put the camera back, crowding up in his space. Robbe leaned his back against the shelf unable to move, unable to breathe. He couldn’t bear to meet his eyes focusing instead on the arm to the side, his stomach churning. He was so close he could smell sea salt on him.

“Robbe,” Sander breathed as he moved his hand from the top shelf to grip the one near Robbe’s shoulder. 

“Yeah,” his eyes finally searched him. It took him an agonizingly long time to answer.

“Are you ever gonna ask me for that drink?” -

Truth be told, he hadn’t asked Sander for a drink and he wasn’t going to. Not until he asked him to. After breaking up with Noor and accepting himself, he’d gone on a few dates with guys, but they were brief and short-lived and none of them ever made him feel what he was feeling now. There was definitely an undeniable attraction to Sander, and yet it felt like it was more than that. Despite only having seen each other twice in the span of a week, it felt like he’d known him for more. And it also felt like he didn’t know him at all. It was a dangerous paradox that Robbe was walking the line between and he was a little scared. He wanted to give in to the attraction, the affinity for each other, and sometimes he let himself. But Sander still felt new and mysterious and _other_. He sometimes reminded him of the mystical ways of the siren with the way his voice sounded, the way he laughed and teased. 

And while the siren was a danger that left him curious but tentative, Sander was the kind of danger he wanted to dive headfirst into.

So that’s why Robbe found himself in the Siren’s Tavern with Sander, barely knowing each other’s last names and sitting at the stools of the bar finally having that drink. They talked for hours, it seemed, sitting closely in the midst of other customers, knees touching. He had gone on and on about his friends, recounting them all by name. He talked about university and how he was studying biology but he didn’t know specifically what stream he wanted to go into. And he listened attentively as Sander told him about his art, his professors and friends. Robbe had come here for a vacation, but Sander had come here for work. He often came to Greece every summer but this time it was to help his uncle. Uncle Dimitris was a nice, bubbly man who gave him the night off and it allowed him to be here with Robbe on this...on whatever this was. 

“And now?” Robbe asked after having laughed with Sander about almost wanting to drop out and become a hermit. “What are you looking for now?” 

He watched as Sander’s eyes sparkled and the lights dimly lit his face in the tavern. They reflected the white shirt he wore. _Damn, he looks good in white,_ Robbe thought. 

“Maybe I found everything right here,” he said looking at him. “Or maybe I’m just looking for some fun,” a slight smirk cast upon his lips. 

“Yeah? Is that all I am to you, fun?” a smile formed on Robbes lips, too. Silence for a beat as he watched him. 

“You have no idea what you’re becoming to me,” Sander murmured, shaking his head and eyes never leaving him. Robbe looked down and smiled shyly. 

“What about you?” Sander asked, casually taking the glass of beer beside him and taking a sip. 

“I don’t really know. I haven’t thought about it much. I mean I came here to _not_ have to think about it, just let go, or whatever, you know,” he said as he looked down and played with his glass, rotating it. He saw Sander lean his elbow on the counter and put his hand in his hair. Robbe looked at him and could see the playful gleam in his eyes. 

“And how’s that working out for you?” 

“Not so great,” he scoffed. “It’s like…” he shifted in his seat, hands in the air trying to express himself. “I’m here with all my friends and we’re all having a good time but some part of me is so far away. Like I can’t really enjoy myself, like there’s some restriction or something I’m forgetting to do. I feel like I should be studying or doing chores or something. Not wasting my time frolicking in the sand.” 

“Hmmm, _frolicking_ , okay,” Sander smiled at the word. 

“I’m serious,” Robbe feigned an upset face and Sander laughed for real now. 

“Does it feel like that now, like you’re not enjoying yourself?”

“That’s not what it’s supposed to feel like when you’re on a date.” A newfound confidence took over Robbe. He looked into Sander’s eyes, almost challenging him to correct him. Hoping he wouldn’t. 

“That depends.”

“On?”

“If this is a date.”

“Is this a date?”

“You tell me,” Sander smirked, shifting his eyes over his face, his eyes, his lips. Robbe had found himself doing the same. He didn’t know if it was the alcohol taking effect, but his brown eyes were becoming hazy in a lucid light. It felt like he was hallucinating Sander and if he dared to touch him, he might slip away. He watched the green in his eyes swirl like water in the sea and the moles on his side come into focus. He wondered what it would be like to kiss them, the one on his cheek, the one on his neck. 

He found the courage to softly put a hand on his knee, while Sander leaned forward, his hand trailing up his grey shirt until they rested on his neck, fingers in his hair. He pulled him closer and almost bumped his cheek on Robbe’s as he breathed in his ear, misty and warm. 

“Regardless of whether this is a date or not...I still think you’re fucking gorgeous,” he whispered. 

Robbe couldn’t stop the blush that was forming across his cheeks, heat rising through his skin. As they slowly moved to face each other, he noticed how close their lips actually were. If either one leaned in right now, they would be kissing and Robbe felt his stomach flutter with the thought of him actually kissing Sander. He could tell Sander was taking his time, slow and steady, patiently testing the waters. Their lips had almost touched when a ding from Robbe’s pocket alarmed them both. Completely stricken from their enamoured daze, he sighed deeply and moved away to dig for his phone. 

**_Jens_ ** _: Hey, we’re thinking of having a bonfire next week on Saturday. Senne said he knows some people. It’s kind of like a party...You should bring someone, if you want._

He read the message and stared at the words for a long moment, long enough for Sander to ask what’s up. Robbe had debated in his head whether to tell him, to properly ask him out right here, right now. But he figured if it was a party and there were too many people around, maybe it wouldn’t count. He would definitely ask him, though. Later. So he clenched his phone and said, 

“Nothing, it’s just Jens wondering when I’ll get back, which means I should probably get going. But before I forget, can I get your number?” 

“Oh, so you _were_ enjoying yourself then?” Sander smirked as he pulled out his phone and exchanged his with Robbe’s. Shaking his head and smiling, Robbe rolled his eyes and put his contact in. 

“Yeah, I had fun tonight,” he said, brushing hands as he took his phone back. “I’ll see you around?”

“You know where to find me,” Sander shrugged, smiling. And Robbe couldn’t help the way he grinned from ear to ear too as he disappeared out of the tavern.-

By the time Robbe got back to the villa, he couldn’t stop staring at the name in his phone. _Driesen. Sander Driesen._ He was now another step closer to getting to know him and he couldn’t wait for whatever conversations awaited them. Couldn’t wait to ask him to the bonfire where maybe he could finally kiss him. Turning the key to the door and entering, he found his friends huddled around in the living room, yelling and laughing at the card game they were playing. Heads turned when they saw him. 

“Ijzermaaaaaaaans!” Moyo hollered from the couch. “Come join us. We’re playing UNO.” Soon, there were lots of yells of encouragement to join. Robbe smiled looking at them all. 

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a sec,” he waved to them as he walked into the kitchen with his phone. 

He leaned against the island counter deciding whether it was too soon to text Sander. His fingers hovered over the send button for a text that read,

_I’m glad I didn’t spill any drinks on you tonight_

Just then, Noor walked into the kitchen, in a black t-shirt and lavender shorts, shaking out her hair. It startled him and made him actually send the text. _Shit._

“What are you hiding?”she asked, her lips curving into one of those knowing smiles. Robbe looked at her returning the expression. 

“Nothing,” he said. There was an awkward beat of silence as Noor opened the fridge to get a glass of orange juice and held it in her hand, squinting at him. 

“Who are you texting? It’s that guy from the restaurant isn’t it? The hot waiter?” 

“The hot waiter?” he raised a brow. She nodded, taking a sip. 

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you stared at him and the way you ditched us for him that morning. Or the way you stand by the pier gazing out into the ocean,” she teased. “Are you guys like a thing now?”

Robbe stayed silent, shoulders hunching in as his lips tried to contain his shy smile. Noor picked up his phone that he had abandoned on the counter and read the text he received. 

“He’s into you,” she said, showing him the text. 

**_Robbe_ ** _: I’m glad I didn’t spill any drinks on you_

 **_Sander_ ** _: That’s too bad. I know you were hoping for me to take my shirt off..._

Robbe took his phone back from her and shook his head incredulously. He quickly texted back,

_As if..._

and set the phone down with a shaky sigh trying to get his nerves out. 

“I’m glad you’re happy though,” she beamed. 

“Nothing’s happened yet or anything, it’s still uncertain,” he said. 

“But still. I’ve never seen you like this before. You deserve to have someone who likes you. Someone who _you_ like,” she nudged him playfully, referencing back to their relationship. Robbe let out a laugh at that and wrapped an arm around her. 

“Come here, I like you,” he joked, kissing her temple. 

Then they shuffled their way back to the rest of the group to get into a competitive round of UNO. -

It was warm when Robbe wandered around the beach tonight. He walked toward the pier and looked out into the ocean, holding one of the seashells in his hand. It was a small one that spiralled thrice and was coloured cream. He rubbed his thumb over the smooth texture. Just then, he could’ve sworn he’d seen a flash of turquoise in the dark ocean, a tail trailing into the water. It was so dark he thought maybe his mind was playing tricks on him, but then again he knew of the existence of sirens now. He knew it was possible he had seen the siren that teased him and asked him for seashells. The same one that lead thousands of others into the depths of the sea. 

He wondered what that was like, to be so raptured by a voice, you lose all sense and come rushing into the ocean. He’d gotten a taste of it but he knew he didn’t like its bewitching spell. And what was it like on the other side of it? To be the one luring someone in, knowing the end and choosing their fate. How do you fucking live with that?

The siren had said he was lonely… That must be what it was like. It must be fucking cold and dark and bitter and lonely. 

He carefully stepped over the rocks, his legs already knowing which ones to avoid, the muscle memory deeply ingrained in him by now even without the hypnotizing song. 

“You’re here,” he heard the siren sound slightly surprised. 

“I’m here,” said Robbe. He slowly walked up to the edge of the pool of water and sat down, crossing his legs this time. He reached into the pocket of his green hoodie and took out the seashell. Tentatively reaching out, he gave it to the siren whose hands felt soft and tender as they brushed against his.

“I didn’t think you’d actually give me one,” he said, delicately holding it.

“Yeah, well...I didn’t think I would either,” Robbe shrugged. 

“I knew you couldn’t stay away for long,” the siren returned to his charming ways. He turned around and swam in slow circles once again. Robbe watched him, his eyes following the sparkling, turquoise tail splashing in the water, the scales shimmering in the moon. In the dark he could still pick out the scales one by one, quite fish-like but heavily unnatural and his white hair that looked almost silver, just like the way his voice sounded. He was beautiful, that much he couldn’t deny. Even if he couldn’t see his face. 

“Do you have a name?” Robbe asked randomly. 

“Not one that I can tell you,” the siren smirked, baring his teeth. Robbe sighed, taking note to mentally dub him “The Siren.”

“How many have you killed, then?”

“More than you can count probably.”

“Can you give me a fucking straight answer?” Robbe asked, irritated. He didn’t know why anger was rising in him, but it might have had to do with the fact that he wanted an actual conversation with this creature. He wanted to know he could trust him because as much he had said he was given a choice in all this, who’s to say it’s not a trap? Who’s to say it’s not just Robbe, wrapped up in his curiosity and taking risks, searching for something of substance only to find nothing. Like water slipping through his palms leaving him empty-handed. No more siren songs, no more charming teases, not right now. 

“It’s my job to be cryptic and mysterious, Robin,” The Siren chuckled, the glimmer in his voice ever so pleasant. But Robbe shook his head. 

“I want you to tell me something and really mean it. Something serious.” 

“Hmmm, something serious?” the poison in The Siren’s voice reappeared, but at a calm and cool level. “How about the fact that you can’t stand it that you’re here right now even though I told you that you don’t have to be. I won’t drown you, or anyone else for a while for that matter. I may be a monster but I don’t have to be a _monster_. And for what it’s worth...I actually want to be your friend,” he finished. 

Robbe looked at him dumbfounded for a second. 

“Why? Why me?”

The Siren took a deep breath trying to compose himself. He ran his arms through the water a few times, the liquid gliding with the movement. He then swam by his favourite spot near the rock and sunk in lower so Robbe could only see his neck and head, abashed and humble. 

“When I was singing that night you found me, I wasn’t calling out to you, I was just singing. For myself. Or so I had thought because then you came waltzing in to the sound of my voice like you’d been awakened and put in a trance all the same. I don’t know why you heard it because I can control who hears it, but I’m glad you did.” His voice was quiet and low. Then, he perked up and let out a snicker. “But the second night? That night I _did_ call you here. I just wanted to know if you’d be entranced again, if you would come back. And again, I’m glad you came back.”

Robbe sat for a while as The Siren awaited his response. He took the time to really let it all sink in. The fact that he’s here in Greece, the fact that he’d found a siren, that the locals were right. He hadn’t even told his friends about all this and he thought about how dangerous this was, how dangerous it _could’ve_ been. 

“But what about the people you drow-“

“The people I drown deserve it,” The Siren spat. His voice was completely ruthless. “I’ve seen the ones that walk along these shores sometimes. I don’t drown the innocent.”

It took him another long beat of silence to answer. 

Robbe finally said, “Okay.”

“‘Okay’ what?”

“‘Okay’, I’ll keep bringing you seashells and visiting you,” he told him. 

“Really? You will?” the voice was so hopeful. Robbe nodded and broke out into a tiny smile. “But only at night,” The Siren emphasized.

“Why, is your face ugly?” Robbe attempted a joke. 

“It’s _very_ ugly,” The Siren played right along and yelped when Robbe reached down and splashed water on him for saying that. 

He doubted The Siren truly looked ugly. With the way the moonlight shined on his face covered in shadows, contrast fighting to unveil his identity, he knew that wasn’t the case. He was holding onto a secret and Robbe would respect those boundaries. He was fine with not knowing now and The Siren could reveal himself to him whenever he was good and ready. -

The next week, Robbe spent his days with his friends, sight-seeing and wasting away the hours in the villa and his nights with the wind nipping at his cheeks, bringing seashells to a certain siren. He kept his stash in his bedside table and he would choose a different one for the next night before he went to sleep. With fingers clasped around the chain on his neck, he thought about how they were slowly becoming friends. Maybe The Siren had been right; just because he was a monster it didn’t mean that he had to be a _monster._

It was an enormous risk that weighed in his head regardless of the feeling of trust that was starting to develop. But he couldn’t be bothered with these risks as he thought about the danger of Sander Driesen at the bonfire in two days. He had asked him through text and of course, Sander had replied immediately, joking and teasing until Robbe finally managed to get a “yes” out of him. In fact, they’d been texting non-stop ever since they’d exchanged numbers. It was mostly teasing and flirty banter and it sent his nerves through electrifying pulses, sparking at each synapse. Sometimes he wondered if that night at the tavern was just a figment of his imagination. If it was just his hazy mind picking up signals that weren’t really there. So he had sat there on his bed most nights hoping, _begging_ , for some truth in the attraction. 

In the middle of the June heat, Robbe sat on a towel in the sand as his friends played volleyball not too far away. Senne had found them a net and pretty soon all the others joined in, their competitiveness increasing by the second. Amber and Yasmina opted to watch, lazing under the shade of an umbrella. He had just finished a round with them a few moments ago and he took out his headphones to listen to music and escape the world for a bit. 

Sander had texted him before work but he would be on his break soon and Robbe considered whether he should make his way to the pier now. Messaging Jens he’d be at the Siren’s Tavern, he got up, dusted the sand off his shorts and walked towards the place that was becoming some sort of special. 

As he leaned on the railing, the breeze blowing through his blue t-shirt, he saw Sander stroll up behind him in his work uniform. He smiled when he turned around, the butterflies that nested in his gut taking flight every time he looked at him.

“Hey,” he said. 

“Hey,” Sander replied. But he seemed tense and far away. 

“Are you okay?” Robbe grimaced. He watched Sander look down for a moment and then stand beside him on the railing. He seemed a little agitated, blowing a breath out into his hands as he stared out into the ocean. 

“Doesn’t the sea ever call out to you?” he asked. 

“Sometimes…” 

“No, like.. like,,,” he was getting a little frustrated trying to seek the words. “Don’t the waves scream at you, asking you to join them and it’s like for a moment you’re free?” 

He’d calmed a little and just kept his green eyes on the water. In that second Robbe thought maybe he’d met The Siren too, but he continued, somber and bleak. “And when you come back, you’re just trapped in your little world, living your normal life, having to pretend as if you’d never swam in an ocean of abandon.”

“I guess…” Robbe answered slowly. “What exactly happened?” he asked him, confused about his sudden change in mood from when he texted him earlier this morning. Sander sighed.

“Nothing. It’s just everyone’s expecting a little too much from me while also coddling me and it’s making me frustrated.”

“Like, with the restaurant?” 

“The restaurant, my art, me coming here every summer... my mom and my uncle, they just want a lot and I don’t know that I can give it to them,” he said. Sander’s eyes hadn’t left the ocean, watching the waves roll in and out. Robbe nodded finally understanding. He’d always thought Sander would be the type to be able to breeze through life and take with it whatever comes. Their conversations at the tavern and through texts had made it seem so anyway. He almost didn’t stop to think that he could feel restricted sometimes, too.

“So, what do _you_ want?” Robbe asked him. Sander finally tore his eyes from the sea and looked into Robbe’s. He seemed taken aback, surprised even, that he would ever ask such a question. As if he’d never had anyone ask him that in his life and mean it. His face finally broke out into a smile and he had to silently laugh, astonished.

“Fuck, I want to feel the sun on my skin, I want to paint the skies pink, I want to dive into the ocean, taste the saltwater in my mouth. I just want freedom, you know?” he shifted the weight from his left leg to his right. “I just want to disappear into the water as far as it takes me and never come back.”

Robbe breathed in the clear air. “That sounds nice,” he said with a slight curve of his lips. It was now his turn to stare into the blue. It felt like they’d been standing there for a long time, Robbe’s arm against Sander’s, the heat of skin building up between them. Then he looked at Robbe with solemn eyes and gently nudged his arm. 

“And you? What do you want?”

Robbe’s smile at the touch came as quickly as it left. The Siren had asked him the same and he didn’t have an answer then. But now, considering his and Sander’s conversation at the tavern, he felt like he had one.

“Freedom too, I guess. Permission maybe…” he pondered. He saw Sander raise an eyebrow. He laughed quietly and said, “Permission to relax. To not have to worry about all the seemingly important things in life like studying and grades and jobs or money. Just someone to be like ‘it’s ok you can rest and you don’t have to get back up tomorrow and do it all over again’.” He looked down shuffling his feet and scuffing the railing, “Some stability would be nice, too,” he added.

“Wow, you really had time to think about this, huh?” Sander snorted. Robbe playfully rolled his eyes at him. He watched Sander turn to face him, lean in close and search his eyes, moving from his pupils to his lips and back to his eyes. “Sometimes you don’t get what you want. What then…?” he whispered, his gaze landing on his lips once more. Robbe deliberated and slowly put a hand on top of his, resting on the wood of the white railing, his heart beating with a rhythm so fast it felt as though his chest were running and tripping. He found Sander letting him softly rub his knuckles and then clasping his fingers with his. He looked deeply into his angst-ridden, green eyes and took a step closer, trying to convey all the sincerity in his heart. 

“I think you could,” he whispered back. “I think you could have everything you’ve ever wanted.”

And in that moment, it all felt possible. For both of them. 

Sander breathed in, like he was gauging how much of that he could believe, and then settled for a tiny, bittersweet smile, the corners of his lips curving up. Robbe felt him grab his other hand and squeeze. He licked his lips before he spoke. 

“I’ll see you at the bonfire,” he said, slowly pulling on his fingers as he let go. Then he left him in a blend of emotions: excited, nervous, crestfallen, heavy. His chest felt so heavy at the thought of a chance that, in addition to the things he mentioned, Sander wanted him too. -

Saturday was finally here and it made Robbe jittery and anxious. He was happy to help his friends as he carried crates of drinks to the beach and lined up hanging decorations and streamers out on the poles, but his mind was on the way Sander left him on the pier two days ago. He had texted him if he was really okay and that if he didn’t want to come to the bonfire, he could skip out. But Sander had reassured him that he did and that he wanted to meet all his friends again, too. Still, as the hours went by, Robbe tried to prepare himself for disappointment, if it came to that. 

“You excited for tonight?” Jens asked him as he helped him carry the cooler to the center of beach chairs arranged in a circle. 

“Yeah,” Robbe answered, not thinking much of his question. He saw Jens roll his eyes at the answer and continued to press. 

“You asked him right? Sander, the waiter?” 

“Yeah, why?” he squinted at Jens playfully. 

“You guys look good together,” he shrugged. He knew Jens had seen them together by the pier sometimes, and he’d caught him sneaking out at night a few times as well, though that was for an entirely different reason. 

“We’re not together,” Robbe said, as they set down the cooler in the sand. 

“Well,” Jens grunted straightening his back, “That could change tonight. I don’t know man, just shoot your shot and I think you’ll be fine,” he slapped his back encouragingly as he headed back to the villa to get cups for the drinks. 

The sun had almost set into the horizon, the orange glow just out of reach in the distance. As the night dragged on, Robbe became more and more tense, checking the hour constantly on his phone. He hadn’t really given Sander a set time other than ‘around 21:00’, but the music was already blasting, people were drinking and the bonfire was set ablaze. He took a red plastic cup and filled it with a drink from the table nearby. Taking a sad sip, he stared out into the calm waters. While looking back at his drink, he glimpsed a familiar figure dressed in black, a certain bleached head of hair making his way through the crowd. His night had just gotten infinitely better. 

Heading over to Sander with a smile on his face, he said, “You came?”

“Of course I came,” Sander responded as a matter of fact. “Wouldn’t miss this for anything,” he smiled in return. It made Robbe’s anxious guts settle, but his heart took no notice of calm and tried to run out of his chest again. He lead him to the table with the drinks to offer him some and pretty soon, they fell into easy conversation about their day. Sander complimented the bonfire and met with the boys as Robbe introduced him. “Hey, man”s and “Good to see you”s were thrown around as they all shook hands and bumped fists. He told him Zoë, Yasmina and Amber were back at the villa for a girl’s night, but introduced him to Jana and Luca who had already started partying hard. Sander had nodded and smiled and made polite conversation. He seemed cool and collected in his black t-shirt blowing in the breeze and it made him even more attractive in the alluring dark. 

They sat in the beach chairs next to each other listening to the others, dim conversations that barely registered in their minds. The whole time, Robbe stole glances at Sander, while Sander did exactly the same. He sipped his drink slowly and then leaned into Robbe’s ear. 

“Do you wanna get out of here?” he asked. And Robbe nodded, looking at him like he thought he’d never ask. They stood up from their seats and abandoned their drinks and he followed Sander out into the night. 

They walked closely, close enough for their fingers to brush against each other with each skip of their step. As Sander’s pace quickened, Robbe ran after him, laughter and giggles echoing into the empty streets. It was close to midnight by now and they were close enough to hear the party at the beach but far enough away to be secluded. 

“Come,” Sander grabbed his hands for real now and they danced under the streetlights, him swaying Robbe this way and that. And maybe it was the alcohol, but they let loose and let their inhibitions go. It wasn’t long before they made their way into an alleyway, the dim light illuminating the shadows on their love-drunk faces. And they were laughing and their eyes were sparkling and then Robbe was feeling all the space close in on him and suddenly Sander’s hand was on his waist, and he couldn’t tell when his vision almost blurred at the touch. 

Robbe leaned back against the wall of the alley and he felt Sander shift closer and closer. His fingers dug deeper into his waist and he was so close he could smell his cologne mix with the seasalt, could feel his warm breath on his face. He looked into his evergreen eyes, the pupils dilated and Robbe was pretty sure his were blown wide too. He saw Sander look at him like he was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen, like he could just keep looking and looking and would never tire. But in fact, Robbe felt that way about him, the way he could stare all day and never need to see anything else. 

Sander’s eyes moved to his lips, half-lidded and filled with desire and Robbe returned the gaze down on his pink lips. They moved even closer, mouths open, breaths mixing in the intoxicating air. Robbe ran his hands up his arms until he reached his bleached hair, smooth and soft. He knotted his fingers in the strands, gently gripping. Sander squeezed his waist again and in that moment, Robbe never wanted anything more than to have his lips on his. Never wanted to close the gap between them and lose himself in his arms, safe and warm.

He didn’t have it in him to be embarrassed in his eagerness. It felt dangerous to embrace it, dangerous to just let himself want. But tonight, he wanted to fucking kiss him. He looked at him through hazy eyes, completely destroyed with want. _Want, want, want._

Sander brushed his nose with his, delicately tracing lines onto the surface of his skin. He looked back into his eyes again, soft and almost insecure. He was taking his time, relinquishing the need for speed as his lips just barely touched Robbe’s and he titled his head back to allow access. The wait was absolutely excruciating, torturous and maddening. 

And just when he felt like their mouths would crash like those waves in the ocean, the kiss never came. 

“Careful,” Sander whispered. He leaned back a bit and he sounded just as wrecked as he looked. When Robbe closed his mouth and took a good look at him, he could see conflict in his eyes as they shifted from his right brown eye to the left. He looked pained and broken, as if it was killing him not to kiss him. He let his forehead gently bump his, let his dark brows furrow in frustration and breathed in. Then he composed himself and quickly tore himself away from Robbe, walking out into the dead of night. 

He left him once again. But this time he left him deeply afflicted and confused. Hadn’t he wanted to kiss him? Hadn’t he implied he’d wanted him? 

Sander had left him shaking and empty, wondering what he did wrong. 

Alina's gifset @alinok (putting it here since Idk how else to link it haha) <https://alinok.tumblr.com/post/625984062262214656/sirensander-aesthetic-i-have-seafoam-in-my>

**Author's Note:**

> I promise they will get their happy ending, do not worry! 
> 
> Thanks greek myth gang for reading it over! Ly <3  
> main tumblr: embeddedinmybrain  
> skam tumblr: sonderthroughthestreets


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